Retaining wall and block for the same



March 9, 1943. v I H. SCHMITT 2,313,363

RETAINING WALL AND BLOCKS FOR THE SAME Filed July 2, 1940 INVENTOR. GEORGE h. ScHM/TT ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 9, 1943 VUNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE George H. Schmitt, Oakland, Calif. Application July 2, 1940, Serial No. 343,608

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a retaining wall made of prefabricated blocks.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a retaining wall which can be constructed from prefabricated units assembled together so as to result in an inclined wall sloping over the side of the bank of earth supported by it in such a manner that part of the weight of the units of said retainer wall is resting on the bank itself, thus both supporting and being supported by the bank of earth.

Another object of this invention is to provide prefabricated units of blocks which are readily adapted to be assembled into a retainer wall in any convenient form to suit the height, incline,

or shape of the bank of earth to be supported.

Another object of this invention is to provide individual blocks of convenient size for ready building of a retaining wall by merely placing the blocks in rows one upon the other; the blocks having overlapping portions so arranged that a longitudinal edge of each superposed block overlaps the adjacent edge of the next block beneath it and prevents relative movement of the upper block away from the bank of earth.

Another object of this invention is to provide a retainer wall and block for the same which is highly useful and simple in construction. Convenience of arrangement, lightness and comparative inexpense of manufacture are further objects which have been borne in mind in the production and development of the invention.

I am aware that some changes may be made in the general arrangements and combinations of the several devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction thereof without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the following specification, and as defined in the following claims; hence I do not limit my invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the said device and parts as described in the said specification, nor do I confine myself to the exact details of the construction of the said parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description, reference is had to the accompanying drawing for the illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a block of my invention in the position it is molded, the broken lines show the shape of the mold.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View of the retainer wall made in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental View of my retainer wall construction.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a modified form of my retainer Wall.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental perspective View of a retainer wall made of my blocks with a brick facing; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmental perspective view of retainer wall with another type of facing.

In retaining walls heretofore the most common practice was to construct it as a solid unitary concrete wall, which necessitated the building of a form extending over the entire bank of earth and then the mixing and pouring of the concrete at the location of the wall. Brick or stone walls and the like also required accurate fitting of pieces and also needed mortar or cement to solidly cement them together. My invention ob- .viates the necessity for building any large form for the wall, or for mixing and pouring cement at the location of the wall. In my invention prefabricated units or blocks are carried to the location of the proposed wall and then laid in superimposed rows so as to substantially conform to the contour of the bank of earth. Thus by merely laying the prefabricated blocks in place the retaining wall can be completed without any mortar, cementing, or bulky forms for the retaining wall.

In carrying out my invention I make use of a prefabricated block l5. This block l5 has a front face I6, a rear side H, a bottom l8, atop I9, and ends 2|. The block [5 may be made in various designs and suitable shapes. For instance the block l5 can be made longitudinally straight which is most frequently required for straight retaining walls. Longitudinally angular or curved blocks would be used for curved walls, turns or corners. V

A tongue 22 extends from the bottom l8 of the block I5 so that the rear face of the tongue 22 is contiguous with the rear side I! of said block l5. The tongue 22 is comparatively narrow but it is sufilciently strong to resist the shearing stress to which it may be subjected by the bank of earth. The inner corner 23 of the tongue 22 is at an angle corresponding to the longitudinal meeting edges or corner 24 of the top l9 and the rear side I! of the block I5. Thus when the blocks l5 are stacked the pressure of the bank of earth is resisted not only by the weight of the blocks l5 but also by the locking action of the respective tongues 22 at the rear top corner 24 of each adjacent block l5.

In building the retaining wall, first a row of of the blocks I5.

larger base blocks 26 may be provided as shown in Fig. 2. Then the blocks I are laid in staggered superimposed rows so that the vertical sides 2| of the blocks of one row are offset relatively to vertical sides 2I of the blocks I5 of the next row. The blocks I5 are so laid that the bottom I8 of one block rests on the top I9 of the next blocks I5 beneath it and the longitudinal tongue 22 overlaps the inside top edge 24 of the latter so that the tongues 22 are on the inside of the wall directly against the bank of earth supported. This arrangement results in a retaining wall which is inclined upwardly and toward the bank of earth in steps corresponding to the Width of the tongues 22. Each row of blocks I5 therefore is vertical and rests on a substantially horizontal surface solidly and firmlywithout tilting, yet the retaining wall as a whole slopes toward the bank upwardly. When the bank of earth is filled-in after the wall is completed, or even when the retaining wall is used as a breast wallor face wall on a natural bank of earth, the tongues 22 on the inside of the wall rest against the bank of earth. The forces that may be' exerted against the retaining wall by the bank of earth are directed against the rear sides I1 and against the tongues 22 and the latter prevent any relative movement of the blocks I5 outwardly away from the bank. Therefore the retaining wall is held together without any mortar or cement. 'Another advantage of a retaining wall constructed in accordance with my invention is that the tongues 22 seal the longitudinal meeting edges or sides of the blocks I5 against seepage,-yet sufficient seepage is allowed between the meeting vertical sides 2I to prevent undue ground water pressure behind the retaining wall. The retaining wall may be'faced in suitable manner. The facing is also prefabricated. 'For instance in the form shown in Fig. 5 a facing of tile or brick' 2'! is molded on the front face I6 In the form shown in Fig, 6 a stone wall is imitated by molding stones or slabs 28 imbedded into said front face I6 of the blocks I5. In this manner a retaining wall can be easily built from prefabricated units so as .to simulate a brick wall or stone wall or the like. If it is desired to eliminate ledges on the outer face of the retaining wall, then the outer top longitudinal corners at the meeting edges of the front face I6 and the top I9 of each block I5 may be mitered as shown at 219 merging the superimposed blocks I5 still more continuously at the front.

' The blocks I5 are easily prefabricated by molding. The blocks I5 are preferably made of concrete or the like. A molding frame 3| is provided with sides corresponding to the sides of the block and inclosed all around except at the like.

longitudinal bottom of the tongue 22. The block I5 is preferably molded in inverted position so that the tongue portion of the mold extends upwardly and through the open side of this portion the material is poured into the mold and allowed to set. In the event of tile or stone facing the facing is held in the mold in any suitable manner. After the material in the mold is hardened and dried the mold is removed from the completed block I5 and the block is ready for immediate use in constructing a retaining Wall or the The blocks I5 are preferably made of such sizes that can be easily manipulated by the average workman and can be easily lifted in place.

The blocks do not require any adjustment or trimming, the laying of the blocks does not involve any particular skill, therefore a retaining wall can be built out of such blocks I5 by the average layman. The resulting retaining wall is firm, it is uniform in strength, completely finished, it does not crack under the pressure and it is of pleasing appearance.

I claim:

1. A retaining wall, comprising a plurality of separate blocks superimposed in rows so that each upperrow is equally offset inwardly toward the bank of earth behind the wall, relatively to the next lower row, and a retaining member projecting from the bottom of each block adjacent the inside edge of said bottom soas to overlap the inner face of-thenext lower blocks adjacent said band of earth.

2. A retaining wall, comprising a plurality of separate blocks arranged in superimposed rows, a projecting retaining member extended at an angle from the bottom of each-block so as to overlap the longitudinal edge of the next adjacent block-at the inside of the wall, said projecting members being of equal thickness and being in extension of the rear face of the respective block, said blocks of each upper-row being offset toward the bank of earth relatively to the blocks of the next lower row by the thickness of said projecting member.

3. A retaining wall, comprising a plurality of separate blocks arranged in superimposed rows, a projecting retaining member extended-at an angle from the bottornof each block soas to overlap the longitudinal edge of the next adjacent block at the-inside of the -Wall,.said pro-.

jecting 'members being of equal-thickness and being-in extension of the rear face of the respective'block, said blocks of each upper row being offset toward the bankof. earth relatively to the blocks-of the next-lower row by the thickness of said-projecting memben-and the outer top corner of i each-block being mitered.

" GEORGE SCHMITT. 

